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THE GREAT CRIME 
OF 1914 

A PLEA FOR PEACE 



BY 

FRANK M. FRANKLIN 

OF THE NEW YORK BAR 

Author of *' Prince and Profligate," ** The Money Trust/* etc. 



Truth shall make you free " 



Uhc Iknlcfterbocftcr press 

(G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS) 

NEW YORK 

1914 



.F6 



-«*» ■ .:^.. 



By transfer 
The Wi +e House 



PREFACE 

A VISION OF THE BEGINNING OF THE WAR, OR HELL 
ON EARTH 

Soon after the war began I was obliged to 
undergo an operation. While waiting for the 
anaesthetic to be administered to me I was reading 
an account of the beginning of hostilities. The 
first thing I remember thereafter is a dull throb- 
bing in my temples, which gradually grew into the 
noise of artillery and din of battle. I seemed to be 
a war correspondent standing on a hill outside 
of the city of Liege, near the road along which 
pitiful old men, women, and children were passing, 
seeking to escape from the high-explosive shells 
hurled by the Germans from across the River 
Meuse. The German artillery, however, was di- 
rected against the Liege forts. Repeated attempts 
had been made by the Germans to cross the river 
for the purpose of attacking them. 

The regiments of German soldiers were rushed 
forward over the hastily constructed pontoon 
bridge. Shells from the fort were hurled in their 
midst causing parts of human bodies to fly squirm- 
ing in all directions, and fall into the bloody river 
which seemed choked with dead and wounded. 



The places left vacant by these unfortunate men 
were at once filled with numerous other spiked 
helmets, and just as these new men were about 
to land on the other side, a couple of large shells 
from the fort struck the pontoon bridge which fell 
with its struggling mass of humanity into the 
awful river below. While the woimded struggled 
amidst the dying in the river, another pontoon 
bridge was hastily constructed only to meet with 
the same terrible fate. 

It seemed that the German forces had been 
checked for days, and I was wondering how many 
times this performance would be repeated before 
the German commanders would be convinced that 
flesh and blood is no match for hard steel and 
explosive shells, when a loud cry was heard on the 
other side of the town where an army of Germans 
had succeeded in advancing upon Liege from 
points beyond the reach of the forts. The brave 
Belgians had advanced fiercely against the in- 
vaders, and there ensued a struggle which has no 
parallel in history. Amidst heart-rending shrieks 
and cries, the great shells from the German artillery 
were slaying entire columns of Belgians as they 
detonated and made havoc of the bowels of the 
earth, which were swallowing legs, heads, and arms 
that had been torn from human bodies. The 
Belgians too were doing frightful execution with 
their machine guns, wiping out entire sections 
of the invaders, but the places of those disabled 
were soon filled by innumerable other soldiers. 

And now there came many regiments of German 
Uhlans on their fiery horses, crashing and slash- 



ing the Belgian infantry. The Belgians stood 
their ground and received the enemy upon their 
bayonets. As horses and men went down to- 
gether, many others came from behind, jumping 
over them and continuing the work of death and 
destruction. 

But the weight of numbers was in favor of the 
invaders. The Belgian lines began to thin out 
perceptibly and then they began slowly to retreat. 
This seemed to give additional courage to the 
fierce Germans who with savage yells rushed the 
Belgian lines until their thinning ranks could no 
longer hold their position. 

The lines broke and the Belgians ran for cover. 
The Germans charged with renewed fervor and 
rained blows from all sides on the fleeing Belgians. 

So fascinated was I by the terrible scene that 
I failed to notice that the fighting had come up 
to where I was standing. Several cringing men, 
women, and children, who were on the road, tried 
to get out of the way, only to be cut to pieces. A 
few men in an attempt to save themselves came 
to where I was standing. A number of invaders 
at once charged up the hill cutting down every- 
thing in their way. I received a blow on the right 
temple and lost consciousness as I fell. 

When I revived, it was evening. The fighting 
seemed to have passed on. The city of Liege 
was in flames. The luried sky illuminated the 
battlefield. I raised myself; as far as the eye 
could reach the ground was strewn with dead, 
dying, and wounded. Maimed, crushed, and shat- 
tered soldiers were praying to be put out of their 



misery. Some had their eyes gouged out. Others 
had their arms and legs hanging loose from their 
torn bodies, and all, who could, were vainly striv- 
ing to staunch the blood from their terrific woimds. 
Numerous men were writhing on the ground in 
the most frightful agony until their eyes began to 
glaze and death relieved them. Many mangled, 
bleeding forms were crawling on the earth aim- 
lessly seeking for succor until they could crawl no 
longer and dropped down in torturing pain. Blood, 
human blood was everywhere. 

The sickening sights surrounded me so that 
I could not turn to any direction for relief. I 
raised my hand to heaven and cried out: ''Merci- 
ful God, How can such intolerable cruelty be 
permitted? Why will men bring on each other 
such agonizing grief?'* Unearthly cries echoed. 
Why? Why? And then it seemed to me that 
thousands of accusing shapes raised themselves 
and with unnatural cries began to call out for 
justice, against those who had brought them there 
to die amidst such intolerable suffering. 

The next thing I knew I was indignantly draw- 
ing up an indictment against the rulers somewhat 
similar to the one which appears at the end of this 
booklet, and then I awoke to find a physician 
fixing the bandage which I had torn ofT in my 
delirium. I was greatly relieved when I found it 
was only a dream, but when I realized that what 
I had seen in my vision was actually taking place 
daily in the theater of war, only that the horror 
was a thousand-fold greater and continued all 
the time, I resolved to set down what I could 



against this greatest crime against humanity, in 
the hope that it will awake the conscience of the 
people and perhaps even reach the rulers of the 
earth. 



vu 



The Great Crime of 19 14 



CHAPTER I 

HOT HASTE TO BEGIN HOSTILITIES 

On July 22, 1914, peace reigned throughout 
the world. In spite of the great burden of mili- 
tarism, which cost European Powers from one- 
eighth to one-half of their entire income, each of 
the countries at present engaged in war enjoyed 
an unprecedented degree of wealth and prosperity. 
Racial hatred was decHning and brotherly love 
was on the ascendancy throughout the world. 
A Peace Palace had just been completed and a 
permanent Tribunal for Arbitration of Nations* 
differences had been estabhshed. The sentiment 
"Peace on earth, good will to men" was growing 
and bearing fruit among the peoples of the earth. 
Most cordial relations existed among the rulers of 
Europe, many of whom had intermarried into 
each other's families and were high honorary 
officers of each other's military forces. 

The Czar of Russia and the Kaiser of Germany, 
the two men who were chiefly responsible for the 



commencement of the war, were considered the 
chief votaries of peace, the Czar having called 
together the nations for the institutions of a Peace 
Congress, and the Emperor of Germany was every- 
where declared to be the logical candidate for the 
Nobel Peace Prize which was to be given in 19 14. 

On the next day there appeared a small speck 
on this peaceful horizon which presaged the gather- 
ing clouds of war soon to break into the disastrous 
storm which is shaking Europe to its very founda- 
tion. On fateful July 23, 1914, Imperial Austria 
sends an ultimatum to intriguing Servia ; threaten- 
ing the dissolution of diplomatic relations unless 
this comparatively insignificant Power agrees to 
suppress anti-Austrian propaganda within her 
Dominion, and permit Austrian representatives to 
participate in the investigation and punishment 
of the conspirators, who, she alleges had taken 
part in the assassination of the heir of the Austrian 
throne on June 28th, in revenge for Austria's 
restrictive policy against a greater Servia. When 
Servia asked for more time to consider this ultima- 
tum, and this request is favored by the other 
Powers, Austria arbitrarily refused to grant even 
one hour more than the time allotted, and here we 
may note the first example of the stubbornness of 
royalty, which deems itself far above common 
sense. 

In the meantime Russia, the most active sup- 
pressor of free speech and free thought in her own 
territory, suddenly became the champion of free 
speech and autonomy for Servia. As the last 
moment of the forty-eight hours approached, 



Servia replied that she will not permit Austrian 
representatives in Servia to try Servian subjects, 
stating, however, that she was willing to investi- 
gate the charges by her own authorities with 
freedom of inspection to Austria, and suggesting 
arbitration; this reply was not satisfactory to the 
Austrian Government. 

The friendly offices of England offered in an 
attempt to procure arbitration at a conference of 
the European ambassadors in London, were per- 
emptorily declined by Austria, and on July 28th, 
she formally declared war on Servia and at once 
began to bombard Belgrade its capital. 

The Czar immediately called out all his Reserv- 
ists, which means that besides her enormous stand- 
ing army consisting of all able-bodied males who 
are compelled to serve for several years when they 
attain the age of twenty ; all ex-soldiers who have 
taken up peaceful pursuits must leave their homes, 
families, and occupations and join their colors 
hundreds of miles away. 

In 1866, Prussia and Austria went to war for 
about the same reason, or lack of reason, which is 
partly responsible for the present hostiHties. Each, 
distrusting the other, forced the mobiHzation of 
its troops at their mutual frontier until the re- 
spective armies clashed and precipitated the in- 
evitable conflict. The Prussians triumphed over 
the Austrians after a large number of men were 
killed and maimed by both sides, and at the end of 
the war both countries were in about the same 
position as when they started. Bismarck, who 
foresaw the coming of the greater Franco-Prussian 

3 



War deemed it advisable to cultivate Austrian 
friendship so as to insure her neutrality. This 
friendship gradually grew into the present de- 
fensive and offensive compact in 1879. This 
alliance furnished Germany with an excuse blindly 
to sanction all that her ally, Austria, had said and 
done, and to send an ultimatum to Russia de- 
manding that her mobilization cease within twenty- 
four hours or she will declare war. To threaten 
war within twenty-four hours that would destroy 
the work of centuries seems to be official Ger- 
many 's idea of promulgating peace. Slow and stub- 
born Russia paid no attention to this threat, and so 
on, July 31st, Kriegs-Gefahr, or Martial Law, was 
declared throughout Germany, and the Kaiser at 
once proceeded to concentrate his vast army, not on 
the Russian frontier, where Cossacks were already 
making inroads upon Prussian territory, but on 
the borders of France and Belgium and even in- 
vaded Luxemburg, regardless of Germany's solemn 
treaty to respect the neutrality of both Belgium 
and Luxemburg. On the following day Germany 
declared formal war on Russia. 

Republican France, that has so little in common 
with Autocratic Russia, had nevertheless been 
forced to form a dual alliance with the Czar's 
Government since 1876 owing to Germany's grow- 
ing military power and menacing attitude. Eng- 
land, after becoming apprehensive on account of 
Germany's increasing navy, found it worth her 
while to cultivate French friendship. Subsequently 
France induced England to come also to an under- 
standing with Russia and thus the Entente Cor- 

4 



diale, or Triple Understanding, was formed to act 
together against the Triple Alliance whenever the 
joint interests of those three countries require 
action. France, in obedience to her alliance with 
Russia, has always expressed her wilHngness to 
cooperate with that country and issued a mo- 
bilization order when Germany mobihzed at the 
French frontier. It is but fair to say that the 
Government of this European Republic had first 
ordered her forces away from the frontier so that 
there should be no clash with Germany and in 
order to demonstrate that Germany is the ag- 
gressor ; and which by the way furnished Italy with 
the excuse she sought for not participating in the 
war, as she agreed to do by the terms of the Triple 
Alliance, if Germany had been attacked. 

Thus the alliances which were made for the 
purpose of securing the peace of Europe have, to a 
great extent, become the cause of the present war. 

After all this mischief had been done, on August 
2, 1 914, Austria and Russia were at last willing to 
discuss the advisability of not killing hundreds of 
thousands of men, because one archduke had been 
assassinated. The dove of peace hovered for a 
short time over the hostile camps. There was 
still time to avoid this awful Armageddon, and had 
the rulers of Europe earnestly desired peace even 
then, the dark clouds of war would have dis- 
appeared. But, no, the savage spirit of strife had 
come to stay, and blood and iron became the rule 
of the day. 

England claims that Russia and Austria were 
on the point of agreeing upon an amicable settle- 

5 



ment when Germany precipitated the war. Ger- 
many claims that the Russian mobihzation forced 
her hand. The fact remains that the Teuton war 
lord evidently believed that he was lord "of all 
he surveyed, " and demanded that he be permitted 
to use Belgium for the passage of his troops so as to 
enable him to attack France more swiftly, and paid 
no attention to Belgian's King when called upon 
to respect their neutrality treaty. Germany's chan- 
cellor regarded it as "a mere scrap of paper,'* and 
so, upon Belgium's refusal, Germany at once began 
to invade Belgium territory, wage war upon her 
people, and attack her forts, thereby demonstra- 
ting that modem fortifications are reliable and 
that the best laid plans of mihtary experts "may 
go agley." 

The Belgium King protested to the King of 
England against the breach of their treaty, and 
the attack upon her by Germany. The relations 
between Great Britain and Germany were none 
too friendly since Germany refused England's 
proposition to cease building additional warships 
and thereby threatening England's supremacy at 
sea and her security on land, so England seemed 
to be only too glad of the excuse Germany gave 
her when she attacked Belgium, and at once 
mobiHzed her troops in order to defend Belgium 
neutrality by force of arms. The fatal idea gener- 
ally prevailed that a European war was inevitable, 
and that it might as well take place then as any 
other time. 

And so on August 4, 19 14, there was a prompt 
general declaration of hostilities all around, and 



some days later Japan recalled to mind her treaty 
with England and stated that "in order to pre- 
serve peace in the Far East" she advised Germany 
to relinquish her possessions in China and with- 
draw her fleet and power within about a week, or 
she would declare war on Germany. Germany 
heeded her not, and Japan started the war game 
in the Far East. 

And so each of the countries, after doing all 
they can to provoke each other, combines to stop 
the wheels of progress, paralyze trade, finance, and 
industry, sacrifice its best blood, and pour out its 
treasures so as to bring sorrow and suffering to 
millions of homes throughout the continent. 



CHAPTER II 

NO REAL REASON FOR THIS RUINOUS WAR 

What real cause can be assigned for the appall- 
ing devastation that is going on in Europe? Each 
of the rulers engaged in the murderous game seeks 
to saddle another with the burden of commencing 
hostilities and says that he was dragged into 
the war and that the other ''thrust the sword into 
his hand." As a matter of fact all of the coun- 
tries seem to be more or less guilty. In the cold- 
blooded, impersonal, diplomatic correspondence 
that preceded the war we find no suggestion that 
the alleged difference between the great nations 
might be submitted to arbitration. 

There can be no question about the fact that 
if the belligerent nations had done nothing while 
they were exchanging notes with each other, hos- 
tilities would never have been commenced, and if 
a reasonable disposition had been shown to adjust 
their pretended grievances there would have been 
no war. Instead, however, all of the countries had 
been proceeding to prepare for a conflict, which 
caused apprehension and fear amongst them, and 
furnished the spark that ignited the combustible 
Powers and resulted in this horrible conflagration. 

8 



With the avowed purpose of securing peace, 
Europe has been on a war footing for many years, 
each country going to the limit of its resources in 
securing great standing armies and navies, and 
the latest weapons of destruction. How could 
anyone believe in pretended peaceful intentions 
when they were constantly preparing to fight 
each other? This was accentuated by their con- 
temptible spy system, and they thus constantly 
bred discord, antagonism, and racial hatred. 

Germany's terrific, well-drilled, and ever-in- 
creasing military power was the first menace to the 
rest of Europe. Each country, with the ostensible 
idea of being able to defend itself, went to the very 
limit of its resources in preparing to fight when- 
ever it should be called upon to do so. The 
military aristocracy, consisting of thousands of 
officers in charge of these vast armies, who re- 
garded war as their sole trade and means of rapid 
promotion, were always most eager to engage in 
war upon the slightest pretext, or lack of pretext. 
With them were the wealthy and influential manu- 
facturers of war material who directly profited 
through the large expenditures necessitated by 
human strife, and part of whose business it is to 
sow the seeds of discord in order that they may 
reap the harvest of gold. 

The rulers finally yielded to these dreadful 
advocates of destruction, and seized upon the 
first chance that presented itself to involve their 
respective countries in wholesale slaughter. 

It was through some such lack of reason that 
Austria was induced to declare war on Servia. 

9 



Can it be seriously contended that the great 
Dual-Monarchy was afraid of its little neighbor? 
Because a Servian assassin, who was apprehended, 
had killed an archduke, does an entire country 
have to engage in assassination? Can it be 
seriously maintained that propaganda in Servia 
against the Austrian Government could do any 
serious harm to it? If the entire Servian army 
had attacked Austria it could easily have been 
annihilated. 

The more probable causes for the war were the 
secret desire of the Imperial party in Austria 
to annex more territory in the Balkan States and 
the ungrounded racial hatred fostered by the war 
party and also the ill-advised idea of engaging in 
a "popular" war so as to unite all the contending 
parties in Austria after the Emperor's expected 
demise. 

As a direct sequel to Austria's attitude we find 
Russia preparing to support Servia and to mo- 
bilize her great forces. While Russia's standing 
army is not as intelligent, well-drilled, or equipped 
as Germany's, it has always been superior in 
numbers, and the Muscovites have almost as great 
faith in the rule of force and violence as the 
Germans and, therefore, Russia has been almost as 
great a menace as Germany. 

What sense is there to the alleged Pan-Slavic 
Federation? What good would a union of all the 
Slav races do to anybody? Does anyone believe 
that the most cruel government on earth, which 
merely for the expression of opinion has sent to 
Siberia, to prison, and into exile its most en- 

10 



lightened subjects who dared to Uft their voices 
in protest against bnitahty, would go to war 
against Austria, for trying to prevent free speech 
and punish royal assassination? Has the great Rus- 
sian Bear put his own house in such order that he 
can consistently help others? Is it not more likely 
that the Czar resorted to war in order to divert 
his people from the great burden of taxes and 
oppression he has heaped upon them? This idea 
of diversion has been repeatedly utilized by Russia 
in the past when she organized and encouraged 
Jewish massacres. When she finds that this way 
of giving her subjects something else to think 
about is becoming impopular on the continent, 
and that there is too much hue and cry raised 
against such outrages, she seeks a more respect- 
able mode of rapine and massacre. 

Russia has also an eye on the Balkan States and 
on the Dardanelles, although she has more territory 
than she can use for generations to come, and if she 
would employ her poor people in the cultivation 
thereof, and follow the advice of her first real King, 
Peter the Great, who earned that title by attempt- 
ing to raise Russia out of the mire of Barbarism 
and encourage her in peaceful pursuits, her Empire 
would become a land of plenty. Another cause 
for the war is the time-honored one of Russia 
seeking an outlet to the sea. As a matter of fact 
she has several splendid seaports that are available 
at all times, such as those at Odessa, Libau, etc., 
and has outlets upon the Baltic Sea, Caspian Sea, 
Black Sea, and White Sea. But even if she needed 
additional seaports, could not Russia obtain them 

II 



more humanely by purchase and dollar diplomacy, 
as, for instance, the recent acquisition by Germany 
of a port at New Waterway near Rotterdam, 
Holland? 

Germany has been selfishly struggling for su- 
premacy without regard to the rest of humanity 
and is therefore now facing most of civilized human- 
ity in the greatest war and carnage in the history 
of the world. Because Austria has wrongfully 
annexed a couple of Servian provinces entrusted 
to her government, and Germany has encouraged 
her in her arrogant attitude in regard to the 
Balkan States, does that give her any excuse for 
saying that there is fear of a Slav invasion of 
Europe? Why should Germany be offended at 
Russian mobilization, while she herself was doing 
the same thing? Why has Germany been increas- 
ing her armament each year, if not to engage in 
strife and slaughter? 

Germany was making extraordinary strides in 
every line of endeavor, and if she had left well 
enough alone and preserved the peace, no one 
could have stopped her from becoming the great- 
est Power on the European continent. She has 
even acquired large tracts of land for her colonies 
on the other continents, where she could send any 
surplus population that she may have for hundreds 
of years to come. 

In Europe, Germany*s neighbors are just about 
as crowded as she is, and Germany can get more 
room only by murdering the people in her vicinity. 
Why should Germany paralyze her progress and 
sacrifice her culture upon the pagan altar of 



Barbarism? Why should any Power be jealous 
of its neighbors' prosperity and colonies if it has 
colonies and property of its own ? There was every 
reason for peace, and no excuse for war. 

But Germany, like the others, seems to have been 
drunk with power, and seems to have been running 
amuck spoiling for a fight with anybody upon any 
pretext. 

Her martial emperor was only too ready to 
listen to the advice of his war party, which he 
believed would give him a chance to realize his 
dreams of greatness and Imperialism. Nay, if 
possible, he would have liked to Germanize the 
world . ' ' Deutschland iiber alles ' ' ; but the All (i) es 
have to be reckoned with and that is no more 
probable than it is possible for the Slav races to 
enslave the earth. A day before the war the Teu- 
tons and Slavs were dwelling in peace together. 
Tolerance of religion and brotherly love were 
gaining ground, and racial hatred would have com- 
pletely died out as it has almost expired in the 
United States, if it had not been kindled anew by 
racial wars. 

And now we come to France. Why should La 
Belle France, who has been baptized in the blood 
of kings and nobility, take up the cudgel for 
Despotic Russia and finance her wars? What has 
she to gain from the present conflict? France 
could have avoided her alliance like Italy and if 
Germany had been assured of her neutrality that 
country would have been too glad to leave her in 
peace; and France would have saved the world 

13 



from this gigantic misfortune. But the brave 
Frenchmen have ever been led into foolhardy 
ways. The French were evidently afraid that 
Germany might fight them at some future time, 
so they decided to fight the Germans at once. 
They did not even have the unmoral excuse of 
being rivals in commercialism, which so often 
causes war. There is, of course, the wild spirit of 
revenge rankling in their breasts because of the 
loss of Alsace-Lorraine, and there is hope that 
they will bring these twin provinces back into 
the mother country — but at what enormous sacri- 
fice! And so each war has thus far been the grim 
parent of a more horrible and greater conflict, 
when the vanquished have gathered sufficient 
strength to fight. 

As to England, who has repeatedly opposed 
Russian aggression in the past, her Prime Minister 
stated that ''the merits of the dispute are not the 
concern of his Majesty's government. " On August 
3, 1914, the same Minister declared that Britain 
is free from any obligation to any other Power, and 
that there is no reason for her going to war. 
England did not, however, exert herself particu- 
larly for peace ; she might, for instance, have plainly 
warned both Germany and Russia that she would 
resist, with arms, the unreasonable ambition of 
either of them, if they went to war. On August 
4th, without negotiations, she severed her apparent 
long-standing friendship with Austria and Ger- 
many, and declared war upon the latter country 
for the ostensible reason that Germany violated 
Belgium neutrality, but as a matter of fact 

14 



because Britain was seeking all along for an excuse 
to enter into the maelstrom. Germany and Austria 
tried in many ways to secure England's neutrality, 
and Germany asked her upon what terms she 
would remain neutral; she refused to commit her- 
self, but merely hinted that she could not stand 
calmly by if France was molested, and if Belgium 
had not furnished her a good pretext, she would 
have found some other excuse for joining forces 
with the other countries. The real reason for 
going to war is that Britain has acquired the habit 
of fighting for what is termed the "balance of 
power, " a chimera which has no particular weight, 
for while English territory in Europe remains the 
same, the balance of power is always different 
after each European war. A serious question 
arises as to whether her policy will not act as a 
boomerang in this case, for if Russia comes out 
victorious and over-balances all the other nations 
in power, it would be worse for the world in general 
and for England in particular. Moreover it will 
be just as difficult to get rid of Russia's militarism 
as of Germany's. In all fairness, why should Eng- 
land have greater right than anyone else at sea? 
Would John Bull dare to bully the rest of the 
world and say that he has the right to search 
neutral vessels bound for neutral ports and con- 
fiscate food supplies, if he did not have his over- 
bearing navy? Britain's isolation, which might be 
used as an argument against her entering into war, 
is brought forward as one of the reasons for it. 
The ground that she fought in self-defense before 
anyone commenced to attack her is also un- 

15 



tenable. England seems to be anxious to show off 
her prowess and what a great Power she is, and 
evidently believes that she can do so by kilHng 
off the greatest number of her own subjects, as 
well as numerous innocent people of other coun- 
tries. And now that she is in the fight, as the most 
civilized of nations let us hope that all this blood- 
shed will not be in vain, and that she will use all 
her efforts to compel the Powers to disarm and to 
abohsh scientific brutal force as a means of settling 
disputes among nations. 



i6 



CHAPTER III 

WAR IS WRONG, WASTEFUL, WICKED, AND WANTON 

If a man kills a human being or robs him, he 
commits a crime. If the killing of one person is a 
crime, how can the killing of thousands be justifi- 
able? If the robbing of a single individual be 
wrong, how can the robbing of an entire com- 
munity or nation be right? 

One who commits a crime strikes a blow at the 
entire social order. How much greater blow then, 
is struck at all humanity when the stupendous 
crime of strife and slaughter is entered upon? 
War, a survival of the age of barbarism, has 
outgrown its purpose and usefulness. 

Time was when the right of might was exalted, 
and the profession of arms was a necessary evil. 
In the early ages when each tribe depended upon 
itself for existence there was some material reason 
for killing off its neighbors so that the victor 
might possess the products of the soil from the 
immediate vicinity. But now, when the entire 
world is united by telegraph wires and wireless 
telegraphs, when we have all kinds of rapid 
transportation and mutual obligations and inter- 
ests, and where the comforts of modem life depend 

2 17 



upon such a variety of wares produced by such a 
variety of races in such a variety of parts of the 
globe, it seems the height of folly to kill off people 
who contribute to the supply of our necessities. 

Not only are great numbers of laborers destroyed, 
but many scientists, poets, inventors, and other 
thinkers who might have enriched the world, are 
wantonly sacrificed to the God of War. 

Even victory does not begin to compensate. 
Where the winning nation succeeds in annexing 
foreign territory, it obtains at the same time a 
constant source of strife in its body politic. For 
example, after all these years Alsace and Lorraine, 
annexed by Germany at the end of the Franco- 
Prussian War, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, taken 
over by Austria, have been like a thorn in the flesh 
of the victorious kingdoms and are still large 
causes of the present strife. People have become 
more educated and resent being taken over and 
driven like sheep. Hardly a single subject of the 
conquering nations has benefited one jot by the 
annexation of additional territory. On the con- 
trary, the citizens of those countries are mulcted 
with additional taxes in order to keep the 
vanquished land in subjection. 

The other reward of victory is the exaction by 
the conqueror of indemnity, but even if the de- 
pleted treasuries of the victors are refilled for a 
while by such blood money, the conquerors can 
never be repaid for the loss of useful manhood 
and talent in their kingdom. Ask the heartbroken 
mothers, widows, and orphans what price they 
consider would repay them for the loss of their 

18 



dear ones. Withal, statlotics will show that great 
poverty and depression have been the lot of a vic- 
torious nation after receiving the spoils of the war. 

How then about the unfortunate vanquished? 
To what depths of despair are its broken-down, 
defeated people driven by the awful waste an". 
tragedy of war? Does it not seem like madness 
for civilized nations to engage and continue in 
warfare, when they ha.^e so much to lose and sc 
Httle to gain therefrom? And yet, here we have 
some of the most civilized nations of Europe en- 
gaging in primeval strife with modern scientific 
weapons of destruction and only agreeing blindly 
not to resort to pacific measures and civilized arbi- 
tration. 

A question arises whether treaties or agree- 
ments between nations are worth the paper they 
are written upon. Is it not a disgrace to humanity 
that great Powers should not have as true a sense 
of honor as an ordinary honest man? What is the 
use of cultured Germany utilizing the word "honor" 
as when her statesmen talk of being in honor 
bound to support her ally Austria or speak of 
peace with honor, when she unhesitatingly breaks 
her agreement about Belgium and Luxemburg and 
attempts to rob their sovereigns and people of 
everything they possess? If nations make and 
break contracts at will as they did in Korea and 
China, why should they claim that they go to war 
to uphold treaties as England did about Belgium 
and Japan in regard to England? Perhaps this 
is a new-found virtue in their diplomacy and not 
an old time self-vSeeking policy. At the end of the 

19 



Crimean War, in the Congress of Paris, there was 
added to the Peace Treaty a distinct clause to the 
effect that the Powers would submit all their 
differences to mediation and arbitration before 
going to war. Why did not Great Britain call 
attention to existing treaties for mediation be- 
tween the great Powers before engaging in war ; as 
ordinary individuals would have done if they had 
written contracts between themselves? Why did 
not poor Franz Joseph, who had been through so 
many of the castastrophes of war, remember that 
his government had agreed to arbitrate before he 
permitted the war party to start the dreadful 
cataclysm that is laying his kingdom and Europe 
in waste? Why did not the dread Czar of Russia 
think of his humane professions and pledges of 
peace before he unleashed his feudal hordes for 
death and destruction? And finally, fair France, 
the Pleasure Ground of the World, and the seat of 
European Democracy, why did not she recall the 
International Tribunal wherein her disputes might 
have been adjusted and thus save her people 
from the most dreadful of all scourges which is 
devastating and depopulating her own and other 
lands? 

Cannot these rulers see that the entire idea of 
cruel strife has become revolting to the modern 
mind; that right-thinking men cannot exalt the 
art of war, which after all its tactics and strategy, 
merely amounts to crushing, by fair means or foul, 
a lot of men, who are styled the enemy, and 
annihilating them in the most cruel manner, and 
particularly in hitting them when they are down, 

20 



and if perchance they try to run away in an 
attempt to preserve their Hves, unmercifully 
cutting them to pieces? 

How can humane persons glorify such horrors 
or the awful atrocities committed in every war, 
such as the destroying and burning of villages, 
churches, and cities that are in the way of the 
Juggernaut of a marching army, and where many 
innocent non-combatants of all ages are killed and 
rendered homeless, and whose lifetime savings are 
destroyed, lost, and wiped out by the shot of a 
gun? 

In this class we may find the recent bombard- 
ment and destruction of beautiful Louvain, with 
its forty thousand inhabitants, by the Germans. 
Then, too, there are the modern terrors of the air 
from which bombs are hurled and dropped upon 
inoffending and unsuspecting non-combatants, an 
instance of which is the recent night attack upon 
Antwerp, where many women and children were 
killed and wounded. 

And worst of all, we hear from parts of Eastern 
Prussia, where the Russians hold forth, and from 
other seats of war, of the breakir g out of unbridled 
passion of the overtaxed, half-crazed men, who 
have been turned into beasts, and who violate 
young girls and women before the eyes of their 
husbands, relatives, and families, causing the most 
excruciating agony to their unfortunate victims 
before they die from the effects of the heinous 
violation of their bodies. 

And yet there are worthy people who say that 
such unspeakable outrages should proceed without 



21 



protest from anyone. If the voice for humanity 
and reason is universal and loud enough the powers 
that be must hear it and heed it; at all events it 
can do no harm to attempt to do good. 

It seems almost inconceivable that the civilized 
rulers should not hesitate to precipitate all these 
horrors and should see fit so to disregard all moral 
obligations and teachings of God and man, and 
viciously set against each other numerous subjects 
with orders to kill, maim, wound, and capture, in 
order to settle some comparatively trivial injury, 
or dispute of so-called honor that has arisen, or 
some imaginary apprehensions of danger, when 
they might settle any and all such controversies 
between themselves in the pacific, orderly, and 
humane manner provided by The Hague Tribunal 
or in any other civilized and peaceful manner. It 
is human to err, but it is inhuman to proceed with 
this terrible error. 



22 



CHAPTER IV 

PERVERTED PRIDE, PATRIOTISM, AND PASSION 

At the beginning of the war a blaze of so-called 
patriotism spread throughout each nation. Men 
were everywhere rushing to join the colors of their 
country, king, or government. Party lines were 
wiped out and public opinion in each belligerent 
country was in favor of the impending war. Aside 
from the heartbreaking parting between members 
of families, there was a general enthusiasm as the 
men left for the front to the strains of martial 
music. If the populace had the foresight to see 
that in a short while these departing soldiers who 
were leaving in the flower of health, vigor, and 
manhood would be driven almost beyond human 
endurance and forced to accomplish almost im- 
possible tasks, and that most of them would be 
maimed and wounded, and many of them left on 
the field of battle, the cheering would be turned 
into wails of woe and cries of indignation against 
the government who sent out their friends and 
dear ones to death and disaster. 

But now the people can see only the glamour 
and glory of war, and each regards his own 
cause, whatever that may be, as right, and dares to 

23 



raise his voice calling upon Almighty God to bless 
their unholy expedition of slaughter and strife, 
and that the Lord of Hosts be on their side and 
aid them to crush and confound the army of men 
sent to oppose them, and who are by them styled 
*'the enemy." 

The same aggressive patriotic or jingo spirit pre- 
vails in their parliaments and law-making bodies. 
The majority that would generally haggle before 
they would expend any sum, no matter how small, 
upon any real improvement for their country, 
now that war is declared are more than ready to 
finance the '* human slaughterhouse" and devote 
any sum obtainable to promote the worst of all 
curses to humanity, known as "War." 

It is reported that when Austria declared war on 
Servia, Vienna burst into a ''frenzy of delight." 
It will be of interest to note with what frenzied 
feelings they now regard the numerous reverses 
of their armies and the ruthless killing of so many 
hundreds of thousands of their best youth and 
manhood. 

One feeling may be sure to have been intensified, 
and that is the mad lust for blood, which seems 
to prevail. The most ferocious beasts of prey do 
not attack or kill their own kind, and it seems 
almost unbelievable that modern civilized man, 
with his ages of culture, should be more ferocious 
than the wildest beasts that inhabit the jungle. 

The general public is infected with the war 
fever and intoxicated by mixed motives that 
crystallize into war patriotism. From early child- 
hood their minds have been perverted and they 

24 



have been made to believe that the entrapping 
and cruel killing of a lot of innocent men who are 
known as '*foes" is the most exalted game of 
games. 

Each government that is responsible for bring- 
ing on the war uses all sorts of methods to stimu- 
late the war spirit everywhere. It furnishes 
military spectacles of uniformed marching men and 
everywhere is heard the stirring national hymn 
whereby a powerful feeling is called up in the 
breast and sets the masses to shouting "hurrah!" 
** There is no time to ask the reason why, there is 
but time to do and die." 

Each government claims that the war is defen- 
sive and that its country is in danger. There 
would be no danger of invasion if they did not 
stir up and bring on the war. 

Then, too, many are lead by the spirit of 
adventure into the field of battle, the only jfield 
where most of them have a chance to distinguish 
themselves, if they are not themselves extinguished, 
and they also feel the latent savage instinct for 
fight aroused in their breasts. 

Amidst all this there is much of heroism, true 
courage, and noble sacrifice. Above all there is a 
great expenditure of energy which would be of 
lasting benefit to humanity and mankind, if turned 
into beneficial channels. The masses do not stop 
to consider that their opponents are of the same 
mind, and that both their causes can not be right, 
and that one most of necessity be wrong. Or 
when they claim that each one is defending it- 
self from the other, when both are doing all they 

25 



can to attack each other is not reasonable, and 
they might remember that an all benevolent Deity 
will not listen to their respective prayers when they 
call upon Him to help them break his express 
commandment "Thou shalt not kill." 

Nor do they figure that those whom they are 
bent upon murdering to the strains of military 
music and drums have feelings like themselves 
and upon their lives depend the existence and 
happiness of women and children, and that the 
curse of Cain will cling to them to the end of 
their days because they have committed homicide. 
Heaven forgive them for they know not what 
they do. 

There is a general belief that it is glorious and 
that we are fulfilling a great duty when we die for 
our country. That is true when we die for a 
worthy cause, but what does it avail when our life- 
blood ebbs away for no cause at all, nay when we 
bring by it the most abject wretchedness to those 
we love and who are dependent upon us for life and 
succor? Is it not more our duty to live a useful 
life for our country, wives, children, and families? 

But in times of war these ideas are perverted 
and we watch anxiously the bulletins which per- 
chance tell of a great victory for our men whereby 
we have succeeded in annihilating and laying low 
thousands of the enemy, with a loss of probably 
only a few hundred men to ourselves, failing to 
realize that we have thereby broken thousands of 
hearts and homes not only of the enemy, but 
of our own people as well. 

That a man should love, honor, and revere his 
26 



country is but natural, but this righteous love is 
turned into evil passion when it helps to bring upon 
our country the greatest curse and scourge that 
can befall it, when it plunges the entire land 
into desolation, misery, and woe, and robs it of its 
youth and manhood, particularly when we stop 
to consider that the cause which in most instances 
is responsible for wars is simply the groundless 
greed for more territory. "Thou shalt not kill," 
should hold good when applied to nations as well 
as when applied to individuals, and no right- 
minded monarch or ruler should attempt to raise 
himself on the bloody corpses of men. 

Patriotism and honor are given as the chief 
causes for commencing and continuing the dread- 
ful waste of humanity in which Europe is at 
present engaged. Because England, France, and 
Japan, as well as poor Belgium wanted to main- 
tain their honor and in order to keep their word 
and uphold their end of the treaty, they have gone 
into a quarrel which does not concern them. While 
Germany, Austria, Russia, and Servia profess that 
patriotism for their respective Teuton and Slavic 
races is the cause of their present strife. None 
of these Powers have thus far thought of honor 
when they had an opportunity to annex or steal 
their neighbors' lands, and this is particularly 
true of some of the colonies which they have 
obtained by such unconscionable methods. 

Nor do any of them hesitate to use the most 
cruel and despicable, inhuman and unfair methods 
while they are waging war, for they say "All 
is fair in war." But why? Any one of them 

2^ 



would not hesitate to imprison and execute any 
real patriot who dared to lift his voice in protest 
against their dreadful butcheries and refused to 
participate therein. That they call "treason." 

As for suggestions of peace, none of them would 
think of doing anything so dishonorable or un- 
patriotic. What! Peace without honor? (What- 
ever that may be.) And so they continue to cut 
each other to pieces. 

To be Christians, merciful and just, or to prac- 
tice any of the real virtues does not seem to be in 
their Code of Honor. Their entire attitude, were 
it not so tragic, would be most ridiculous. What 
care they for the millions of men that are sacrificed 
and ruined so long as they can satisfy their empty 
honor and so-called patriotism? 



28 



CHAPTER V 



A PLEA FOR PEACE 



Peace, lasting peace, is the universal cry. 
Everyone pretends to want peace, and yet the 
slaying of the innocent continues on a larger 
scale than ever before. Crimson blood and bitter 
tears run in rivulets. Thousands of men are 
tossing about in paroxysms of excruciating pain, 
praying for cold death to relieve and release 
them from burning injuries. Tens of thousands 
of men are driven to distraction, seeking relief 
from unendurable anguish. There are moans 
and groans from hundreds of thousands who have 
been maimed, wounded, and mowed down by 
sharp swords and iron missiles that have been 
hurled against their defenseless, unresisting flesh 
and blood. Millions of bereaved mothers, widows, 
and children are in the throes of great anguish for 
their lost loved ones. 

And still the work of ruthless slaughter and 
destruction proceeds. More and more woimds are 
inflicted. More and more are added to the list of 
widows, orphans, and cripples. More and more 
lacerated hearts are crushed. More and more 
misery is piled up. 

29 



Is it possible that the civilized rulers do not 
heed those agonized cries of the tortured millions? 
Does not all this awful catastrophe appall them. 
Have they no hearts that they cannot feel for all 
these bleeding hearts? Can it be true that the 
Allied Powers do not realize the magnitude of the 
horror already inflicted, when they enter into a 
bond not to make any moves for peace without the 
consent of each other, and that this might mean a 
fight to a finish — a finish of what? Is it to be a 
finish of all their vast resources? Is it to be the 
end of all those millions of misguided men who are 
engaged in this awful death grapple? It is doubt- 
ful if the powerful combatants could absolutely 
defeat each other even after years of struggle, but 
why not realize at once the terrible futility and 
cruelty of it all? Why keep up a war that has so 
far proven to be the most disastrous in history? 
Why prolong this incalculable torture and waste? 
Do all these rulers consider that if they use all 
their combined wealth to continue this gigantic 
strife they will not have sufficient money to carry 
on their government and business after the fury of 
this cataclysm has worn itself out, and if they do 
not stop exterminating all their able-bodied men 
and boys they will have no one left to carry on the 
industries and commerce of the country for those 
who remain behind? 

If they kill off their healthy men, where will 
they obtain a new supply of strong men to harvest 
their fields and continue their races? Do they 
forget that the main reason for the fall of empires 
has been the want of strong men to support them? 

30 



Then, if they believe in war, it is not at all unlikely 
that they will need all their military forces to 
settle the differences between themselves and their 
allies. For instance, what if Russia wants more 
spoils of war than England and France are willing 
that she should have? — And then so many men 
have been pushed back in the scale of civilization 
and have been taught that the right of might and 
brutal force prevails, that when these much- 
wronged men are driven to desperation and rise in 
their might to pillage and devour all before them, 
where will they get the men to subdue and suppress 
the ruthless red revolt when it rises against them? 
Travelers tell us what correspondents are not 
allowed to write that there are already bread riots 
in Paris and other cities where people stand up to 
be shot down rather than starve to death — aye 
soon will haggard Famine and dread Pestilence 
stalk abroad. Never before have they unleashed 
such terrific forces of war on so large a scale, and 
no one can foretell to what intolerable catastrophes 
they may lead — Oh! why don't they stop before 
it gets beyond their control? 

If this terrible struggle continues any longer 
the European continent is doomed. Already busi- 
ness and industry are facing bankruptcy every- 
where. The intense suffering is growing greater 
hourly, and if they permit it to become unbearable 
through starvation their outraged subjects will 
over-leap all bounds, particularly if they should 
be so blood-thirsty as to permit this cruel strife 
to continue until the cold winter, with its added ter- 
rors, sets in. Each day that the war is continued 

31 



the chasm between the warring factions grows 
greater and is being heaped higher with bleeding 
corpses. 

How can the Powers that be pretend to be 
Christian or even civilized when they not only- 
sanction but urge and practice the continuation of 
such unchristian, barbarous deeds? Europe is now 
like a house divided against itself, when such pre- 
cepts as " Love thy Enemy" is turned into " Make 
more Enemies." Are they not mindful of the 
day of reckoning when they will stand before the 
judgment bar of the King of Kings and answer to 
Him and to history for the bloody acts of this day? 

How can these lords of war be so cruel, in- 
human, and unmindful of their own best interests 
as to continue this awful carnage? At all events, 
why should they not suspend hostilities and see if 
they cannot come to some pacific understanding? 

This could do but little harm and would be 
of great benefit by giving to their bruised and 
battered men a chance to recuperate, and it would 
save thousands of lives of those who come into 
the hospitals and other temporary places of refuge 
much faster than they can be taken care of, not 
to mention the numerous wounded who perish 
daily among the dead. 

If divergent Russia, England, and France could 
settle amicably their differences and enter into a 
military alliance, why could not all the Powers 
enter into a beneficial alliance for peace? If the 
belligerents have not entirely lost all sense of rea- 
son, justice, humanity, and fairness, they ought to 
agree upon terms to end not only their present 

32 



miserable contest, but this terrible scourge of war 
for all time to come. 

Oh, ye Lords of Life and Death, 
For the sake of suffering humanity ; 
For your own sake, cease this awful waste of war. 
Intervene to bring about a lasting peace. 
Halt death and dire destruction ; 
Halt desperation and devastation upon land and 

sea. 
Hearken to the agonized cries of the millions whose 

bodies, hearts, and spirits lie broken and 

bleeding in the dust ; 
Raise them up for the upbuilding of their shattered 

strength and usefulness. 
Show nobility and true greatness by conquering 

ignoble and petty greed, hatred, revenge, and 

perverted ambition. 
Think, ''What shall it profit a man if he gain the 

whole world and lose his own soul?" 
Let the angel of Peace descend upon earth to heal 

the sick and suffering. 
Oh, let the blessing of Peace bring plenty, prosper- 
ity, and happiness to all mankind. Amen. 



33 



CHAPTER VI 

THE FOLLY AND FALLACY OF MILITARISM — 
PROPOSALS FOR PERPETUATING PEACE 

The most effective method of obtaining peace is 
to remove the causes of war. Great armaments — 
the chief cause of jealousy and ill-feeHng among 
the nations — is the first element. If the present 
war has done nothing else it has completely ex- 
ploded the theory of armed peace. Nobody would 
seriously contend that the maintenance of great 
armies and navies would ensure peace any more 
than he would assert that the great destructive 
power of modern war implements makes armed 
contests between nations impossible. The fallacy 
that each Power must train and arm itself until 
it is stronger than any other is apparent on its 
face. So that one of the main excuses for crippling 
national finance and spending vast sums for arma- 
ments is gone. The stupendous sacrifice of human 
life, property, and art occasioned by the present 
war has aroused such a reaction throughout the 
world against martial strife that it is doubtful if 
even the cold-blooded military experts, who try 
to show that a nation has a right to engage in war, 
regardless of the rights of other nations, would 

34 



dare to advocate such outrageous views now. 
The one hope that looms above all others at present 
is that this great sacrifice of man and money should 
not be in vain and that armed contests should be 
avoided between different governments and this 
terrific and dreadful deluge of blood should stop 
forever. There would be no cause for the claim 
of each of the Powers that they are on the defensive 
against the others because the others are liable 
to attack them if the Powers were not preparing all 
the time for attacking each other. By reducing 
the armaments of each nation, millions of dollars 
would be saved every year, and there would be at 
once enough money from this source to pay the 
innumerable loans which the respective countries 
secured in order to engage in this war, and each 
country might well call this a beneficial indemnity 
that no one has to pay. Armaments should be 
limited to such an extent that only sufficient men 
be employed to effectually police the nations. 
This is the only way to guarantee peace for the 
future. The reduction should be in accord with 
the percentage of population, the details of which 
might be left to the permanent Court of Arbitra- 
tion that would have to be established by the 
Powers at the end of the war. 

Racial hatred has never been one of the great 
causes of war. The people of each country got 
along well together until hostilities broke out, and 
except in rare instances have still nothing against 
each other, so that it would not be difficult to bury 
the hatchet between them for good and all. 
Russia and France found no difficulty in fraterniz- 

35 



ing with each other after France had fought against 
Russia in the Crimean War, and even Turkey 
and Bulgaria entered into a friendly understanding 
a very short time after they had been at each 
other's throats. If the European Powers will not 
sow the seeds of strife and will educate their people 
to the idea that we are all members of the one great 
human family, the universal brotherhood of man 
will gradually become an established fact, par- 
ticularly if the different Powers will show true 
magnanimity and generosity by an early conclu- 
sion of peace. In the United States, for instance, 
people from all parts of the globe are congregated 
in one harmonious community. If we believe the 
different Powers who are protesting that they were 
reluctant to enter into war and that they were all 
keen for peace, then there is no reason why 
hostilities should not be suspended and the Powers 
start to arbitrate their differences peacefully where 
they left off when the war began. There is a feel- 
ing among the rulers that their people would not 
tolerate peace after the killing and maiminr^ of so 
many of their men. It is true that the people had 
to pay and are paying the appalling toll of carry- 
ing on this hideous strife, but that is no reason for 
continuing their suffering. The question of send- 
ing so many men to slaughter should have been 
asked by the rulers from the people before the 
war started. One of the reforms which this war 
should bring about is the dawn of a true de- 
mocracy, and no war should be declared without a 
vote from all the people who have to pay so dearly 
for it. It is needless to say that after a fair dis- 

36 



cussion no country would vote for woe and war. 
The rulers themselves should be glad to shift 
the awful responsibility of this terrible tragedy 
upon the shoulders of the people. Even Bismarck, 
the original man of blood and iron, stated that no 
people were justified in entering upon war unless 
they were forced to it. If each country will give 
its citizens a true constitutional government it 
really does not matter under which flag the people 
live, and this fact ought to help the Powers when 
they are thinking of giving the peoples of Europe 
new boundaries. Since the people have every- 
thing to lose and nothing to gain from continuing 
the war, there is no time like the present to put 
an end to it. Another reason assigned for not 
ending the war is that each of the Powers fears 
that its opponents will think it afraid and for that 
reason try to exact prohibitive terms of peace. 
This feeling might be overcome by the United 
States inviting all the Powers, including the com- 
batants, to a congress in New York, where the 
subject of partial disarmament beginning at some 
future date might be discussed and settled. This 
ought to give the Powers an excuse to suspend 
hostilities until a decision is arrived at by such 
congress. The subject of perpetuating peace would 
naturally come up at their session, and, after 
parley, the belligerent Powers might come to an 
understanding and get together by signing a peace 
treaty, not only for their own benefit, but for the 
benefit of the rest of the world. 

The unification of human races and the promo- 
tion of peace have been advocated by humanitarian 

37 



thinkers since the early ages. Podiebrad, King of 
Bohemia, first suggested *'a league of peace," 
which did not materialize on account of the divS- 
approval of cruel Louis XL of France. King 
Henry IV. of France next proposed to the European 
Powers a federation of their states for maintaining 
peace. Austria, which was at that time powerful, 
but whose power has since then gradually dimin- 
ished with each disastrous war, opposed this federa- 
tion, so that the European Powers resolved to 
fight for peace and to whip Austria into line. 
Henry IV. was to lead the campaign, but this be- 
nevolent monarch was, in 1610, assassinated by an 
insane monk who believed that war was necessary. 
The curse of war was resumed, the rulers attempt- 
ing the impractical idea of conquering their neigh- 
bors and the rest of the world. Napoleon III. 
was the next monarch who strove for peace, but 
was defeated by the machinations of Bismarck, 
who forced upon France the disastrous war in 
1870. The next monarch to strive for peace is the 
present Kaiser. Immediately after ascending the 
throne he was very active in the peace movement. 
But it seems when it was proposed that he give up 
Alsace-Lorraine for the sake of peace, he preferred 
the chances of war. We next find the Czar of 
Russia calling a peace congress which provided 
for successful arbitration as far as it went, but it 
did not go far enough. While the arbitrators, 
appointed in each instance, have settled all dis- 
putes that have thus far arisen between nations 
in a more satisfactory manner than they could 
possibly be adjusted by war, there was no perma- 

38 



nent court of arbitration and no provisions for 
enforcing the mandate of The Hague Tribunal. 
Therefore, the first necessity of the present is a 
permanent Court of Arbitration, where each Power 
would be represented by a number of its own 
international lawyers or judges. This Court should 
sit in permanent session in order to administer 
international law as well as guard the peace of the 
world at all times. Any ex-parte business could be 
attended to by a single judge, while important 
international disputes should be passed upon by 
an entire court, and their decision should be bind- 
ing on all the Powers, and there should be an 
agreement that if a nation should so far forget its 
obligations as to refuse to abide by the judgment 
of this high court all the other nations should 
enforce the judgment. Such refusal is not likely 
to happen when a country knows that that is 
tantamount to national suicide. If any nation 
has at any time any dispute with another nation, 
it could cite that other nation to appear before this 
tribunal, by summons or otherwise, as is done at 
present in ordinary courts of law. The federation 
of governments would take over the factories where 
engines of destruction are made and discourage 
that awful industry, so that the millions used at 
present in preparing for war could be utilized for 
promoting peaceful industry and education. The 
only rivalry between nations should be as to which 
of its subjects are better governed and made 
happier. A new era of reason, justice, and frater- 
nity will then dawn upon the earth and martial 
murder will cease forever. 

39 



An Informal Indictment 
The High Court of Public Opinion and History 
X 

THE PEOPLE OF THE EARTH 

Complainant 
against 

THE RULERS WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR BRINGING 
ABOUT THE WAR OF I914 

Defendants 
X 

Humanity, by this indictment, accuses the rulers, 
who brought about the War of 1914, with the high 
crimes of treason, wholesale homicide, wholesale 
robbery, and other crimes and misdemeanors com- 
mitted and perpetrated as follows: 

That in the civiHzed continent of Europe, in 
this enlightened age in the summer of 19 14, the 
defendants, without good cause and reasonable 
provocation, and against the interest and peace of 
the people, did levy war upon their neighbors, and 
by treachery, trickery, and intimidation compel 
the flower of their manhood to expose themselves 
to the fire of guns and to other scientific instru- 
ments of death and destruction, thereby to re- 
ceive millions of wounds, many of which have 
proved mortal; and to expose their bodies to be 
mutilated and destroyed in their members and 
organs; and those subject to their rule were 
instigated, commanded, and compelled to endeavor 
to inflict like injuries upon other innocent human 
beings with whom they had no quarrel; 

40 



That the defendants by intimidation and vio- 
lence took away the property of numerous people 
and caused the loss and destruction of the accumu- 
lated wealth of ages ; 

That thousands upon thousands were taken away 
from their homes and families, and women were 
deprived of the care and society of their husbands, 
of their means of support, and of their natural 
mates, and defendants caused great agony, pain, 
and physical suffering throughout their lands, and 
the perpetrators of these iniquities are now called 
to the judgment bar that they may be dealt with 
according to law and justice. 



THE END 



41 



